Coast-to-coast cycle bid for Christian retreat
The warden of a Christian retreat house on the Norfolk/ Suffolk border is set to cycle 400 miles from the Irish Sea to the North Sea to raise cash to support the project.
Andrew Tait from
Bungay will be pushing off from
Treginnis in west
Wales on
September 1 and, with the prevailing south-westerly winds behind him, hopes to blow into
Lowestoft nearly 400 miles and five days later. The furthest he has cycled to date is the date is 80 miles from Bungay to
Bury St Edmunds and back.
Andrew is raising money for the
Quiet Waters Christian Retreat House, which he leads with his wife
Ruth. He said: “It is a little oasis of Suffolk green on the banks of the
River Waveney where people leave behind for a while their frantic concerns and enjoy good food, rest, cheerful company and – if it is overdue – a leisurely conversation with God. Many come at a crossroads of their lives, others just need space and time to spend with God. The team are happy to offer a listening ear and prayer support.”
For these visitors, Quiet Waters spells refreshment, recovery and a readiness to take a new run at life. For the small but energetic team which Andrew and Ruth lead, it spells a sometimes frenetic cycle of scrubbing floors and pans, laundry and cleaning, pulling weeds and nettles, chopping logs and carrots.
Hence Andrew’s marathon bike ride. The plan is to raise enough money to transform a static caravan in the grounds and turn it into staff accommodation for a larger permanent staff team. Then the retreat can then accommodate enough people to run it without everyone having to pedal as fast as Andrew will need to for him to cross the
Brecon Beacons and reach the Waveney estuary.
You can read all about Quiet Waters at
www.quietwaters.org.uk or sponsor Andrew by getting in touch with him at
andrew@quiestwaters.org.uk
Pictured above is warden Andrew Tait outside Quiet Waters in Bungay.